This invention relates to electronic game apparatus, and specifically to apparatus for cleaning the edge connectors of electronic game consoles of the type which have ports for receiving game cartridges.
It is important for mating edge connectors incorporated within both a game console and a game cartridge to be maintained in as clean a condition as possible to insure high quality performance of the unit. Periodic cleaning of such edge connectors is necessary to remove dust particles and other debris which may be present on either the game console connectors or the cartridge connectors. It is, of course, desirable to make the cleaning process a simple one that can be carried out easily by the consumer in the home, thereby avoiding more costly and time consuming efforts involved in carrying or shipping the console and/or cartridges to a service outlet or the like.
More specifically, the cleaning apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a cartridge constructed of relatively rigid, plastic material, and which includes a housing portion and a handle portion. The housing portion includes a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, a back wall and a front wall. The front wall is set back within a recessed forward end of the cartridge portion and extends substantially along the entire front edge of the housing portion.
A cleaning pad is mounted within the housing portion so that a forward end extends through the front wall, but does not extend beyond the forward edges of the recess as defined by the forward edges of the top, bottom and two side walls. This forward recessed end of the cartridge is also narrowed in width so as to simulate the forward end configuration of game cartridges, thereby allowing the cleaning cartridge to fit within the game console port in the same manner as a game cartridge.
The handle portion of the cartridge extends rearwardly from the back or rear wall of the housing portion and includes a pair of spaced arms and a rearwardmost connecting member which thereby facilitates gripping of the cartridge for ease of insertion and removal of the cleaning cartridge from the game console.
The housing portion is also formed as separable upper and lower sections for accessing the interior of the housing portion. As will be described in greater detail below, the interior surfaces of the top and bottom walls of the housing portion are provided with various surfaces for supporting the cleaning pad in a clamped configuration when the upper and lower housing sections are closed. In addition, a plurality of tabs and recesses or apertures are provided within the housing portion to enable precise alignment and releasably locking connection between the respective separable housing sections. These will also be described further herein.
The cleaning pad itself comprises a planar card like substrate having front and rear edges as well as a pair of side edges, the latter including apertured tabs for mounting the cleaning pad within the housing portion of the cartridge. The card or substrate is wrapped with a cleaning fabric, preferably a lint-free fabric such as nylon impression fabric, i.e., typewriter ribbon material. The overall symmetrical shape of the cleaning pad, including the apertured tabs, is such that the pad is easily reversible to present one or the other of the opposite front and rear edges of the cleaning pad for cleaning engagement with the edge connectors of the game console.
Space is also provided within the housing portion of the cartridge rearwardly of the mounting area of the cleaning pad, for storing a second cleaning tool for cleaning the edge connectors of associated game cartridges. This second tool comprises an elongated plastic member, one end of which is wrapped with a suitable cleaning or washing material (preferably lint free), and the other end of which is wrapped with a suitable drying material (also preferably lint free).
Thus, the present invention provides a quick and easy solution to the problem of periodic cleaning of electronic game equipment in the form of a cleaning cartridge which, in one exemplary embodiment, comprises a housing portion having a recess formed along one side thereof, the recess defined by extensions of the top, bottom and side walls of the housing; a cleaner pad mounted within the recess and spaced from the top, bottom and side walls; and a handle portion extending away from an opposite side of the housing.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to cleaning apparatus for electronic game consoles which have at least one port for receiving a game cartridge, the port having a first edge connector adapted to engage a mating second edge connector provided in the game cartridge, the apparatus comprising a cartridge including a housing portion having a recess formed at one end thereof and a handle portion provided at the other end thereof; a cleaning pad mounted within the recess, the pad being sized and shaped to correspond substantially to the first edge connector so that the cleaning pad engages the second edge connector upon insertion of the cartridge into the port.
In still another aspect, the invention is directed to a cleaning kit for an electronic game console and associated game cartridges, the game console having a first edge connector adapted to engage a mating second edge connector provided in the game cartridge, the kit comprising a cleaning cartridge having a housing portion at one end and a handle portion at the other end, the housing portion having first and second separable sections, the housing portion having a recessed forward end; a first cleaning element mounted within the recessed forward end, the cleaning element being sized and shaped to correspond substantially to the first edge connector, so that the cleaning pad engages the second edge connector upon insertion into the port; and a second cleaning element for cleaning the second edge connector in the game cartridge and carried within the cartridge, the second cleaning element including an elongated member having a washing pad on one end thereof and a drying pad on the other end thereof. The second element is intended to be used to clean the game cartridge edge connector, and to then be returned to the cartridge housing portion for future use.
Other objects and advantages of the disclosed invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.